NFC South Week 13 Review: Can anybody stop the Saints?

NFC South Week 13 Review: Can anybody stop the Saints?

As we enter the stretch run of the 2017 regular season, the Saints have separated themselves from the herd in a brutally competitive NFC South division.

Here’s a review of where things stand after Week 13.

Team

Record

Division

Scored

Allowed

Net

New Orleans Saints

9-3

3-0

353

243

+110

Carolina Panthers

8-4

2-2

269

238

+31

Atlanta Falcons

7-5

1-1

274

244

+30

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

4-8

0-3

243

288

-45

Let’s begin in New Orleans, where the Saints have won nine of their last ten games.

Even though the standings show they’re one game ahead of Carolina, because they swept the season series New Orleans effectively has a two-game lead on them with just four remaining.

For the second time this year, the Saints dominated a quality Carolina defensive unit, posting 31 points in a win that was not as close as the final score suggests.

Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram ran all over the Panthers, totaling 248 yards and three touchdowns from scrimmage on just 34 combined touches. Right now those two look like the most dominant backfield combo in football and they’re getting great blocking from a rejuvenated offensive line.

The fact that these Saints can beat you with their defense and running game and not rely on Drew Brees to pull off miracles should put a chill into every other contender in the NFC. Next up, New Orleans travels to Atlanta on Thursday night. Winning won’t clinch the division, but it would bring them one critical step closer.

The Panthers should not be in panic mode just yet, but it’s time to play with a much greater sense of urgency than they have shown in the two games since their bye week, which seems to have robbed them of their momentum.

On the other side of the ball, the offensive line and everybody in the backfield all did their jobs. They simply didn’t get enough help from the rest of Carolina’s play-makers. Greg Olsen’s absence has never been more painfully obvious than it was on Sunday.

Things aren’t going to get any easier for them this week, either.

The Minnesota Vikings have won eight straight games and opened three-point favorites this week despite having to travel to Charlotte. They currently hold the NFC’s No. 1 seed thanks to a tie-breaker over the Philadelphia Eagles and are playing well in all three phases.

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The Falcons can certainly attest to that, as they were just held out of the end zone by Minnesota in a frustrating 14-9 home loss.

Matt Ryan had one of his worst games of the year and consistently struggled to hit his targets accurately. He only completed 16 of 29 passes and finished the afternoon with a dismal 72.9 passer rating. Also, Julio Jones got shut down by Xavier Rhodes and Dan Quinn made some unfortunate decisions. It was an all-around disappointing performance.

Then again, Atlanta’s defense kept them in it right up until the very end. Going up against a surprisingly productive Vikings offense, the Falcons played tight all game. This was a breakout performance from a unit that now has to be considered better-than-average by any reasonable observer.

They’ll need that defense to step up more than ever now if they’re going to sweep the Saints and save their season.

Finally, Tampa Bay lost 26-20 to the Packers in overtime, essentially ending any realistic hope of a long-shot playoff run.

Jameis Winston posted 270 yards and two touchdowns in his return, but the Bucs’ inability to stop the run did them in again. Green Bay ran for 199 yards and two touchdowns while averaging almost seven yards per carry.

It’s time for Tampa’s decision makers to begin focusing on free agency and the 2018 draft to address their considerable number of roster holes. Their remaining games should be all about evaluating their youngest talent and avoiding injuries for their franchise cornerstones.